Prestige can be restored to great competition

Many observers have said that the FA Cup has been in decline since the withdrawl of Manchester United in 2000.

Yet the emphasis and importance of Champions League qualification has increased for the top teams in England. So why not take away one of the qualification spots for the Champions League places and give it to the winners of the FA Cup.

Now I am well aware that the last four different winners of the trophy are Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United so what is the advantage of giving the competition a place?

Instead of rewarding the runners up in the league why not reward a winner! It is the Champions League and success should be rewarded acordingly. Ever since the extinction of the Cup Winners Cup any one taking the qualification place for the FA Cup has been sheparded into the UEFA Cup, which is a paltry existence for a team that has succeeded at either Wembley or more recently Cardiff.

Arsenal and Manchester United will consider their achievements this year as a little disappointing even though they will both play at the highest level in Europe next year.

Yet they both played in the FA Cup Final last season. Imagine how that drab encounter would have been spiced up had they been playing for the incentive of qualifying for group stages rather than qualifying rounds.

The FA Cup is one competition in its prestige alone that could justify a Champions League place.